Overview of
Dewey Balfa Cajun
and Creole Heritage
Week
The 2007 Dewey
Balfa Cajun and Creole Heritage Week, held April 20-26 at
Chicot State Park, attracted about 105 campers coming from some
40 states and six foreign countries. The daytime activities
were limited to the campers, but each evening members of the
surrounding communities joined the campers for dances featuring
top Cajun, Creole, and Zydeco bands.
The Heritage Week, sponsored by
Louisiana Folk Roots, is named in honor of the late Dewey Balfa, a phenomenal musician who played a key role in reviving
and preserving the French cultures of Southwest Louisiana. For more information on the Balfa Heritage Week, go to
the Louisiana Folk Roots
web site. |
| Shown below are photos from each of the evening
dances, plus the dance that started Sunday afternoon.
Included are shots using a flash plus a few taken with
available light. Click on thumbnails to access larger
photos. Photos of
Roots Heritage Day, held Saturday,
April 21, an event open to both campers and the
community, are posted on a separate page.
Still photos, of course, do not offer much beyond a
sense of the visual ambience. For videos, trying
searching "Balfa Camp" or similar terms in YouTube and
be sure to check out the photos and videos at
CajunTunes.com. |
|
|
Balfa Toujours, Friday, April 20
Shown are Courtney Granger on fiddle,
Dirk Powell on accordion, Todd Aucoin on drums, Christine Balfa
Powell on guitar (daughter of Dewey Balfa), and Peter Schwarz on bass. Coz Fontenot was a
guest performer. Kevin Wimmer, the band's other fiddler, was
performing elsewhere as a member of the Red Stick Ramblers, but he
is shown further down the page on Monday evening with Ray Abhsire.
 
 |
Sunday, April 22
Don Fontenot et Les Amis Louisiane
Don Fontenot is shown on accordion,
with Mark Young (giving his donkey bray during "Ride the Donkey") on
fiddle and keyboard, Karl Deshotels on guitar, Layton Thibodeaux on
bass, and Kurt Daigle on drums.
 |
|
The Lucky Playboys
Ward Lormand is on accordion and
D'Jalma Garnier is on fiddle, with Blake Castille on guitar.
|
|
The Creole Cowboys
The Creole Cowboys are led by Jeffery
Broussard on accordion (and fiddle), with D'Jalma Garnier on guitar,
Corey Broussard on guitar, Clifton Broussard on bass, Jay Matthews
on scrubboard, and Troy Gaspard on drums.
|
Ray Abshire and Friends, Monday,
April 22
Ray Abshire on accordion is shown with
Kevin Wimmer on fiddle, Courtney Granger on fiddle and vocals,
Brent Abshire on guitar; and Alan LaFleur on upright bass.
 |
Steve Riley and the Mamou
Playboys, Tuesday, April 22
The Mamou Playboys include Steve Riley
on accordion (and fiddle), David Greely on fiddle, Sam Broussard on guitar,
Brazos Huval on bass, and Kevin Ardoin on drums. Christine Balfa
Powell was a guest musician.
 |
Geno Delafose and French Rockin'
Boogie, Wednesday, April 24
 |
The Pine Leaf Boys, Thursday, April
26
The Pine Leaf Boys include Wilson Savoy on
accordion (and fiddle), Cedric Watson on fiddle (and accordion), Jon Bertrand on guitar, Blake
Miller on bass, and Drew Simon on drums, with Paul Edwards joining
the group on rubboard. Coz Fontenot was a guest musician.
 | |
